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Friday, February 8, 1974
University Daily Kansan
Above: Beating a drum is easier with a little help from a music therapist. Below: Even clapping can be hard the first time around
Music Therapists Train By Helping Others Adjust
By DIANE YEAMANS Assistant Feature Editor
Bobby has trouble following directions and coordinating his movements. He is nine years old, mentally retarded and has the verbal capacity of about a nine-month-old child. With his music therapist, he works on increasing his ability to sing and by acting out songs with his hands.
the aged in the Lawrence area, to name ony a few.
Jerry is nine years old and deaf. His music therapist uses the same activities to help him learn to observe his surroundings and understand his understanding of sound vibration.
THE CHILDREN, whose names are ficticious, are patients at the United Affiliated Facilities (UAF) in Haworth Hall, and the music therapists are University of Kansas students gaining clinical experience in a little-known but expanding field.
Carey has behavioral and perceptual problems. He refuses to play with other children and resists directions. His music therapist uses colored bells and discs to help his color perception and to encourage responses to empathize, having him listen to the sounds of bells and musicals.
Steve, age three and a cerebral palsy victim, and Lisa, age four and mentally retarded, sing songs, an exercise in memory and listening, with their music therapists
All this is preparation for a career in music therapy, a profession with strong roots at KU and growing popularity throughout the nation.
These student music therapists aren't limited to the clinical experiences at the UAF. They work with prisoners at Larsing State Prison, patients at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City, Missouri, and children, the Veterans Hospital in Topeka, Bosth Stone Halfway House, Pinkney and Cordley grade schools and some homes for
WILLIAM SEARS, professor of music education and music therapy, said, "The music therapist tries to use music—we hope and we claim, somewhat scientifically—to help people toward better coping behaviors."
Besides the techniques used in the child development clinics on campas, Sears said, the music therapist adapts musical instruments for use by physically handicapped persons and helps people learn about music and music skills.
Sears said he put the "somewhat scientifically" in his definition because music therapy capitalizes on the theories of many disciplines—most directly from psychology, occupational and physical therapy, sociology and speech pathology.
Much of the music therapist's work involves the theories of behavioral medicine, including psychologist, Sears said. But the theoretical background is expanding. But he said, because the many demands being made upon music therapy require a wider variety of skills.
ONE OF THE advantages of the UAF, Sears said, is that it allows music therapy students to work with other professional teachers can coordinate their therapy programs.
Bruce Preuder, assistant instructor in music education, said music was an important part of his job.
Staff photos by Dave Regier
therapeutic value to anyone was limitless
Below: Learning to play together at Haworth Hall is a big step forward
the role he plays was thrilling. Because of the cultures and ethnic implications of music, he said, it is important for the music therapist to understand the role music plays in ethnic cultures.
Balancing is hard work.
Patricia Doyle, teaching assistant in music education and music therapy, said therapists at the UAF try to improve a child's coordination, speech and visual skills and increase attention span through music therapy sessions. They also try to help the children recognize colors and numbers, and to improve his relationship with other children.
THERAPIES MUST be inventive, Doyle said, to cope with different situations. At the music therapists sometimes make equipment that rattles, from aluminum cars and lids.
Doyle said one music therapy student developed a color-coded system to teach piano to patients at the University of Kansas Medical Center. The therapist coordinated notes on sheet music with the piano keys by using colors.
A small success in the key of C.
Sears said a music therapist might teach an older person to play an instrument such as piano or clarinet.
He described a KU graduate who learned to play the piano and a violin backwards and held in her right hand although she could not play the left. She was now a practicing rugby player.
GORGETTEY ROGERS, Freeport, N.Y., junior, said she thought music therapy was useful for children. If it mentally retarded or physically handicapped can learn even three chords on a guitar, she can play 15 or 20 songs and can understand the sense of pride and accomplishment.
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In a therapeutic sense, Rogers said, the sessions were probably most valuable in improving the patients' relationships with other people.
Sears said that at the Lansing prison, music therapists gave prisoners music appreciation lessons, which they thought helped to curb hostile behavior.
Unless a music therapist has a permanent unless a clinic, Sears said, he usually doesn't know whether the patient has been helped by therapy. He said that at the UAF, the music therapists only worked with the children for a semester, and that at other times they might quit the therapy sessions or be released by the doctor or psychologist in charge.
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BECAUSE OF THE SHORT time involved,
direct feedback on the effect of music
to performance.
However, Sears said he did know of a prisoner at Lansing who seemed to be helped by music therapy. He had participated in the program six months without any comments or responses, Sears said. When a prison psychiatrist was preparing him for parole three years later, Sears said, he asked the prisoner to remember the music therapy sessions.
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Sears said the prisoner said yes, named some of the pieces that had been played and asked why anyone had been so nice to him. From the last comment, Sears said, it was assumed that the music appreciation had had a positive impact on the prisoner.
Sears also said the KU music therapy program was unique because it was the only program in the country requiring six semesters of clinical experience for graduation. He said some university programs had no clinics.
MUSIC THERAPY students take music classes, including theory and history, Sears said, and must be accomplished in a primary and a secondary instrument. He also must also be acquainted with portable instruments like the guitar and autohorn.
In addition, Sears said, the KU music therapy program includes courses in principles of music therapy and methods of applying music to practice courses taught in the School of Education.
Music therapists are required to complete a six-month internship before they can be certified by the National Association for Music Therapy, Sears said. The association originated in Lawrence, and the national offices are maintained here.
KU has, for a long time, been a center of music therapy. The University, in 1946, had the second music therapy program in the country offering a master's degree.
Edward Gaston, a KU professor of music education who died in 1971, is often called the father of music therapy. Gaston founded the national association.
SEARS SAID that Gaston set the pattern of music therapy education at KU, and he was able to standardize music therapy education across the country by recommending a program to universities which were starting their own departments.
Because of the force Gaston put behind KU's program and because of the strong clinical experience of the program's graduates, Sears said, KU's program has been in existence for the last three years, Sears said, the department has grown to 200 students from 72.
But the increase in students has created a need for more full-time faculty members in the department, Sears said. In addition to himself, he said, there are three teaching assistants for the 200 students in the program.
Although employment possibilities are good, Sears said the job supply is beginning to increase. Graduates are the increased number of graduates in three years. Graduates are helping to expand the scope of music therapy by applying to institutions and convincing them of its usefulness.
No one really knows all the possible applications of music therapy, said Sears, but the field is expanding almost too rapidly to keep tabs on it.